


How Do You Like Them Apples?

by missgeevious



Category: Schitt's Creek (TV) RPF
Genre: 5+1 Things, AU Everything Else, Apples as a Love Language, Canon Apples, First Kiss, M/M, Trolling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:15:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28775949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missgeevious/pseuds/missgeevious
Summary: Five times Noah trolled Dan with apples, and one time Dan got him back.
Relationships: Dan Levy/Noah Reid
Comments: 30
Kudos: 61





	How Do You Like Them Apples?

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to [houdini74](https://archiveofourown.org/users/houdini74/pseuds/thegrayness) for the amazing beta and for forcing me to write the stuff I didn't want to write, and to everyone at the bar who offered up ideas.

**One**

_“Goodnight, Patrick.”_

Dan straightens up from the car window and walks toward the motel until he hears, “Cut.” Then he changes course and walks to the video village set up in the side yard to see how the first take of David and Patrick’s first kiss looked. He holds his breath for the entire playback, but it’s good. Noah is _really_ good. The way he’s chosen to play Patrick has been pitch perfect from the start. By the time they were halfway through the shooting schedule at the Apothecary there had already been meetings to reevaluate the intended arc for his character. Patrick was supposed to be a first— well, second, really— step for David toward a healthy relationship and sense of self-respect, but now he’s looking more like the end game. Noah is too good. The chemistry between them is too good. They’d just been waiting to see how this scene went before making the final decision to approach Noah about extending his time on the show.

If he’s objective about it, Dan knows he’s not bad in the scene either. He knew the nerves he was feeling about shooting this would work for the character and the scene so he’d let them show a little. It was the right call. Between the last minute rewrites, his need to get this scene right, and the slightly embarrassed energy that comes with kissing someone for the first time, Dan had been working pretty hard to let only a little of his anxiety show. It looks good on screen, though. He’d been a little surprised by the kiss. It had been… electric… in a way he hadn’t expected. He focuses on the conversation around him again in time to hear everyone agreeing that the first take worked and looked great, but they’ll do it a few more times before switching to the opposite angle.

He rejoins Noah in the car and settles himself into the passenger seat.

Noah doesn’t often let his own nerves show, and he doesn’t now, but he does look at Dan a little more intently than usual. “How did it look?”

“Good. It was really good.” Dan fastens his seatbelt and adjusts how it lays across his chest, fiddling with it for a moment to keep his hands busy. “You were great.”

“I’m glad.” He smiles and there’s a tinge of relief in it. “You were great too.”

Dan returns the smile. “Thanks.”

“It felt good.”

For a second, Dan thinks he’s talking about the kiss and his whole body flashes hot, but then he realizes Noah means the scene. He clears his throat quickly to try to cover the weird little hiccup of a reaction he just had. “Yeah, it did. It felt good.”

“But we’ll do it again?”

Dan chuckles. “Of course.”

Noah nods. “Of course.”

They’re both quiet for a bit, getting back into their heads for the scene while they wait on the crew to be ready. Noah suddenly twitches as if remembering something. “I just realized… sorry if my breath was… I ate an…”

“Apple,” Dan interrupts. “Fuji, right?”

“Wow. Yeah. How did you—”

“They’re my favorite.”

Noah presses his lips together in his funny little inverted smile and holds his gaze in that fond way he has that makes Dan’s stomach swoop whether or not he’s in character. “That’s good news.”

When Dan gives him a confused look, he reaches down next to his leg, where he’s secreted the apple away from the camera’s prying eye. “Because I’m still hungry.”

Just as the director asks for quiet on set, Noah locks eyes with Dan and takes a huge bite of the apple.

Dan tries very hard not to laugh. “Oh, my god.” Then he raises his voice so the crew can hear. “Give us a second, guys.”

**Two**

It’s their first day of filming in Goodwood on season four and Dan is finally standing inside Rose Apothecary again. He’s hanging out close to the front windows with his arms crossed, smiling affectionately at the little intersection in front of the store. It’s good to be back. Of all the sets and locations, this is the one that feels the most real to him, the place where he finds it easiest to become David. The reason is obvious: it’s an actual store on the main street of an actual town, complete with actual local people that sometimes have to be coerced into staying out of the shot or not offering their opinions. Mr. Armbruster lives a few doors down from the building they use as Bob’s Garage and he must be retired because every day they film, he showed up and planted his lawn chair very close to where they were working. Then, one day, he scared the hell out of a camera operator by voicing his opinion on the man’s “shaky camera work” from about a foot away. After that, they politely requested that he set up his viewing station across the street “for safety reasons.”

It’s hard to be upset by their frank interest and enthusiasm, though. Most of the locals are kind and thrilled to have them there. While he’s known, generally, that the show has been gaining in popularity, the little clusters of people that come to hang out and watch them and ask for selfies are specific evidence of it.

The “real world” location and the people may help with the feeling of verisimilitude, but it’s being here with Noah, as Patrick, that is the final piece clicking into place. He’s a little anxious to see him, anxious in a good way. There was a two-week break between finishing the studio filming and starting the location shoot and Dan’s missed him. It will be good to see him again.

His reverie is interrupted by movement in the periphery of his vision. He smiles in anticipation. It’s like he can feel Noah getting ready to troll him. Noah’s brand of teasing lights him up and keeps him on his toes. He loves it. When Noah joins him at the window he’s lightly tossing an apple in one hand. Dan glances down at the apple and then up at Noah, who is smirking.

Dan gestures at the apple. “What’s that about?”

Noah shrugs. “Snack for later.”

“Mmm, still on an apple kick I see.” The request to go to their starting marks crackles over the radio. They’re filming David’s entrance from Patrick’s POV so Dan exits the building. He glances back as he goes and then stops in the open doorway. Noah is standing in front of the shelf filled with baskets where he will begin the scene, tossing the damn apple from hand to hand.

The part of Dan that thinks Noah is kind of cute with the apples is in conflict with the part of him that’s a show runner and knows time is money. The show runner wins. “We’re about to start filming. The apple needs to go away now.” He makes a shooing motion at Noah.

Noah smirks at him and then puts the apple in one of the baskets. “Happy?”

“Delirious.” Dan deadpans and walks out and around the corner so they can begin.

Noah continues to fuss with the apple all morning. He tosses it around, polishes it, smells it, does everything in the world except eat the fucking thing. He perfects the art of getting it out of sight at the last possible second before cameras roll, secreting it under the counter or behind a candle. One time Dan’s pretty sure he managed to shove it into one of his back pockets, although he can’t imagine how that would even be possible within the laws of the universe and Levi Strauss as he understands them.

They’re doing a quick rehearsal of the scene in which David and Patrick clear the air about dead bodies and going slow; where Patrick instigates a kiss with David for the first time. Dan’s fidgeting with the pile of sweaters at the back of the store as they get ready to begin. They don’t have the time and money to rehearse often but this is an important scene. Noah needs to nail Patrick’s unique blend of nervousness and confidence with this kiss. Dan’s not sure if the fluttering in his stomach is his nerves or David’s. Either way, he’s a little anxious about this kiss, and he needs to get over it because they’re going to be kissing _a lot_ over the next couple of weeks.

 _Fuck._ That thought sent his stomach swooping again. His nervous energy comes out in his hands. He starts patting the stack of sweaters and discovers a hard lump buried in the soft wool. _Son of a… _He pulls the apple out and holds it up. “Noah!”__

__Noah pops out from his holding spot behind the false wall they built at the back of the store and looks at him with equally false innocence and raised eyebrows._ _

__Dan’s irritation with the apple bit finally escapes him. “Are you going to eat this thing or what?”_ _

__He steps close enough to pluck the apple out of Dan’s hand and takes a huge bite out of it. He’s still chewing when he winks and says, “Good thing it’s a Fuji today.”__

**Three**

Dan pushes back from the table and scratches his hands through his hair violently. He needs a break but the deadline is a ticking doomsday clock in his head and the thought of stopping makes him feel panicky. He’s got to have these episodes ready by Monday. He takes a deep breath, counting through his inhale, holding his breath briefly, and then making his exhale last twice as long as the inhale. Then he does it again. And again. By the sixth repetition the claws of anxiety in his chest start to loosen a little and he gets up from his chair.

He needs to hydrate and maybe stretch a bit. Ideally, he should go for a walk and get his blood flowing, but this cabin he’s rented for a few days is in the literal middle of nowhere, in the woods, and he’s alone. If a bear gets him, no one will ever know.

He dashes back to his laptop and makes a quick note in his “random words” file. _David: Where’s the bear?_ Then forces himself to walk away again.

He paces around the cabin for a few minutes, looking in the rooms, drinking from a bottle of water and staring out various windows. The cabin is somehow both spacious and cozy. When he’d booked it for this long weekend of writing he’d been more focused on wifi strength and location than anything else, but he seems to have accidentally chosen a place clearly meant for romantic weekends away. The master bedroom has a king bed covered in luxury bedding with a wood-burning fireplace in the room, and the bathtub is big enough for two. It would be nice to spend a weekend here with someone sexy who cares about him, someone with eyes the color of whiskey who would tease him until he couldn’t stand it any longer, only leaving that bed long enough to take a soak in the tub or stoke the fire. He forces himself to stop thinking about it before his mind paints a clearer image of his partner in this fantasy.

The sound of someone pounding on the front door startles him out of his daydream. _What the hell?_

He opens the door to find a man holding a box. “Daniel Levy?”

“Yesss?”

The man asks him to sign on a digital device that’s balanced on top of the box. Then he hands him the box and takes the device back. “Have a nice day.”

“Thanks. You, too.” Dan says automatically as he closes the door.

He takes the box into the kitchen and peers at the label for a minute. Nothing on it gives any clue what it is or who it’s from. He grabs a knife and uses it to slice through the tape and then pulls it open. Inside is a small wooden crate. On top of it is an envelope. He pulls out the enclosed note and reads.

**Daniel, Hope the writing is going well. Looking forward to our time on set together. Think of me. -Noah**

Dan sets the note down, and pulls the lid off the crate. Inside is a nest of shredded cardboard and what looks like a dozen Fuji apples. He laughs out loud. God, he’s such a troll. He picks one up to smell it. Then he picks up the note again and grins at it, glad no one is there to see him. Daniel. His parents and sister used to be the only people that called him Daniel. He didn’t like it as a teenager. He thought Dan sounded more mature, somehow. Now Annie and Noah both call him Daniel, too. He likes it more than he used to. He kind of likes it a lot, really.

He takes a big bite out of the apple he’s holding, closing his eyes to better appreciate the burst of tart, juicy sweetness as it explodes over his tongue. Suddenly, he can feel Noah’s lips pressing against his own followed immediately by an unexpected tightening in his pants. His eyes pop open and he gasps with new awareness of two facts simultaneously: one, he’s never going to be able to taste apple ever again without thinking about Noah fucking Reid and his kisses. And, two, he wants him. Badly.

_Fuck._

**Four**

A series of bloopers and inside jokes from season five filming are playing out on the big projection screen in the ballroom that’s been rented for the wrap party. It’s everyone’s favorite part of the annual gathering, aside from the drunken karaoke that will occur later. Laughter rolls through the room continuously as various people flub their lines, pull practical jokes, or make faces at the camera.

Interspersed throughout the gag reel are several moments featuring Noah and his ever-present apples. Sometimes it’s just a quick shot of Dan giving him an irritated look and Noah answering it with a cheeky grin as he bites into one or tosses it. Other times it’s Noah finding the perfect moment to drop a ridiculous apple-related comment. Noah has been well known for his apple antics ever since early in the filming of season four. It’s become _a thing,_ and everyone thinks it’s funny, especially when it obviously annoys Dan.

At one point, during the scene with David, Patrick, and Johnny practicing baseball in front of the motel, the camera catches Noah looking very seriously at Dan, who has just dropped a ball, and gesturing at Eugene, who is tossing another ball in the air and catching it repeatedly, before saying, “I guess the apple fell kinda far from the tree, huh?” People whoop and laugh at the screen and then look around for Eugene and Dan.

Then there’s a clip of the two of them in the Apothecary. Whatever came before has been cut out and it’s just a short exchange between them.

Noah grins. “You know what they say, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Dan snarks. “An apple a day keeps anyone away, if you throw it hard enough.”

Another clip, this time on top of Rattlesnake Point.

Noah is down on one knee, looking up at Dan. “Did you know that in ancient Greece, men proposed to women by throwing apples at them?

Dan tosses his hands in the air, annoyed to have the moment they’re trying to create broken. “Good thing neither of us is a woman,” he snaps.

Everyone is still laughing at that one when Noah slides onto the chair next to Dan and puts a drink down in front of him.

“God, you’re the worst,” Dan whispers as he picks up the martini glass and takes a sip. He immediately chokes on it and starts coughing.

Noah claps him on the back a couple of times. People look over but then look back to the screen quickly when it’s clear he’s okay. They don’t want to miss a moment of the memories playing out in front of them.

“An Appletini?” he hisses at Noah. “Seriously?”

Noah just grins and clinks his own Appletini against the rim of Dan’s. “Drink up.”

The combination of the apple flavor in his mouth and the heat of Noah’s thigh and hip pressed against his own is dangerous. His body is reacting in potentially embarrassing ways. Noah casually shifts around in his seat a bit and presses their legs even closer together. Dan’s pretty sure he knows _exactly_ what he’s doing too, which is simultaneously exciting and terrifying.

On screen, several pajama-clad cast members and extras are milling about the set of Patrick’s apartment. Everyone is getting into position for Dustin’s entrance as drunken Ted. Dan slots into place between Noah and Emily and then glances down and notices the orange Noah is holding. He looks up at Noah, forehead wrinkling in confusion.

Noah blinks innocently. “Orange you glad it’s not an apple?”

Everyone in the room bursts into raucous laughter, including Noah.

Dan groans and covers his face with both hands, which just makes them all laugh harder.

*** * ***

It’s late and everyone stands around the parking lot in small clusters, reluctant to say goodbye. The farewells seemed to last forever— handshakes and hugs, cheek kisses and expressions of gratitude, everyone fully appreciating being part of a production full of people who respect and genuinely like one another. He loves them all, but he’s exhausted and ready to crawl into his bed and sleep. He turns in a circle, looking for Noah, who hasn’t said goodbye to him yet, and discovers the lot is now nearly vacant. He’s the last one. His heart starts to sink but then he catches sight of him. He’s leaning against Dan’s car, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded, and smiling fondly in his direction.

Dan goes to him, smiling and stifling a yawn as he goes.

“Tired, huh?”

“Yeah. You?”

Noah shrugs and looks at the ground.

They stand there like that for a few seconds. Just as Dan is about to say goodnight, Noah looks up again and walks two steps toward him, eliminating the space between them. Dan startles a little but holds his ground. Noah’s close enough that Dan can smell him. He smells clean and a little spicy, and, unsurprisingly, like apples.

He leans toward Dan in slow motion, giving him plenty of time to move away or voice an objection. Dan is drowning in his wide, warm eyes, hypnotized by the affection he sees there. He couldn’t resist him if he wanted to, and he doesn’t want to. At the last moment, perhaps in an unanticipated burst of nerves, Noah adjusts course so that his mouth lands on the corner of Dan’s mouth. It’s a kiss that could be taken back, that could be explained away as friendly, except he lingers there, a hair’s breadth from Dan’s lips, and inhales deeply. The sound of it sends a shiver racing down the back of Dan’s neck and he shudders with it.

Noah pulls back and runs his hands up and down Dan’s arms. “Are you cold?”

Dan nods his head at the same time as he says, “No.” He clenches his eyes shut, embarrassed, and stops nodding his head before repeating, “No.”

“What’s wrong?”

“You.” Noah’s face falls and he drops his hands away as he steps back, and, no, that’s not what Dan wants. He clenches his eyes shut again and makes a frustrated noise. “That’s not what I mean. I mean… you… you’re making me…” He shakes his head. God, _he strings words together for a living._ What the hell is _wrong_ with him? “Could you just—”

Understanding blooms in Noah’s eyes and before Dan can finish the sentence he grabs him with one hand round his neck and the other round his waist and crashes their mouths together.

Dan’s breath catches in surprise and he flails his arms a little before clutching Noah’s biceps to steady himself, fingers digging into the muscle there. Noah’s got a good hold on him, though, and they only stumble briefly before they’re pressed together from chest to knee. Noah slides his hand up into Dan’s hair and when he tugs a little Dan gasps and Noah deepens their kiss with sweet, apple-flavored strokes of his tongue. They lose themselves in it for a while, taking turns pulling back for quick sips of air and making low, desperate sounds, hands clutching and pulling.

Finally, Dan breaks the kiss and dodges Noah’s mouth when he chases him. Noah gives him a wounded look so he kisses him once more before taking an actual step back. He needs to put a little space between then or he’s never going to be able to stop kissing him and they need to talk.

**Five**

“Can I take this blindfold off yet?”

“Soon.” Noah’s amusement fizzes in his voice and Dan growls in response to it.

“I need to be writing. Unexpected field trips were not built into my schedule for the weekend.” It’s been three months since the cast party, three busy, glorious, sex-drenched months, but he really needs to focus on writing season six right now.

“You need a little fun in your life, Daniel. A little work life balance. I promise it’s just for the afternoon and then I’ll return you to your lonely cabin in the woods so you can make more words.”

“I wish you could stay at the cabin with me. It’s the same one I used last year and it’s perfect.”

Noah squeezes his leg. “I know. Me, too.”

“But I probably wouldn’t get any work done.”

“You _definitely_ wouldn’t get any work done. Maybe we can go back together sometime soon.”

Dan grins at the idea but then schools his face back into mock irritation. “Are we there yet?”

“Actually, we are.”

Noah guides him out of the car and walks him for a little bit before stopping. “Okay, you can take the blindfold off now.” Something about the moment is triggering the creative part of Dan’s brain. He files it away quickly and hopes he’ll remember to revisit it when he gets back to his laptop.

Dan pulls the blindfold down and blinks in the autumn sunlight. They’re standing in front of the Applewood Farm Winery, where they shot Moira’s failed commercial in season one. Dan clamps his lips together to suppress a laugh. He keeps thinking Noah will get tired of trolling him with apple-related things but it seems he finds endless amusement in it. When they can’t be together, Noah sends him anything apple flavored or scented that he can find: pies, tarts, candles, lip balms. Once he sent him a huge box of apple-flavored Jolly Ranchers. Another time he sent delicious gourmet caramel apples. So when he sees the Applewood Farm Winery sign, he plays the game and pretends to be annoyed. “Did we really come all this way for another apple joke?

Noah grins, pleased with himself. “I thought it might be fun to return to the scene of the cri-ime.”

Dan laughs. “Your Moira impression is terrible.”

Noah shrugs and chuckles. Then he lifts his chin to indicate that Dan should look off to the side. When he does, and sees what’s there, he gasps a little. In the open grassy area next to the main building, blankets and pillows have been spread out to create a perfect picnic spot. A low table covered with linen and boasting the most amazing looking charcuterie board and several bottles of wine sits in the middle of everything.

“The winery is closed today but the owner was kind enough to open it just for us.”

Dan loops his arms around Noah’s shoulders and gives him a kiss that lasts longer than he intends it to and leaves him breathless. When they finally part he whispers, “It’s perfect.”

“Yeah?”

Dan nods and grins and tugs Noah by the hand to their picnic spot.

When he first sips the wine, Dan can’t help screwing his eyes shut, and shuddering. Noah throws his head back and laughs so hard he ends up lying back on the blankets, snorting. “Your face! Oh, my god.”

Dan glares at him. “Apple wine. Seriously?”

“It’s a fruit winery! What did you expect?”

Noah sits up again, kisses Dan sweetly, and then makes a pleased humming sound before tilting their mouths together once more and sweeping his tongue through Dan’s mouth. Dan groans softly and they make out for a little while there on the blanket, the sunshine warming his skin and Noah warming the rest of him.

Later, after they’ve finished the first bottle of apple wine and a good amount of the second, Noah presses him down onto the blankets and pillows to kiss him some more with his talented, apple-flavored mouth. This time, it turns heated. Noah is sucking and biting Dan’s neck, and Dan returns the favor by digging his fingers into Noah’s hips hard enough to leave his own marks. They’re both rocking their hips together and things are rapidly getting out of hand for an outdoor picnic in broad daylight. Noah suddenly wrenches himself off Dan and sits up. He glances around at the fields and back at the winery building for witnesses while Dan lies panting on the blanket, trying to compose himself.

Noah’s concern for who might have seen them makes Dan’s stomach clench. They’d decided to keep their relationship private. Secret, actually. It was more that Dan requested it and Noah went along. Dan worried how it would look, both to their show family and to the world. He worried about it too much probably, and it was a lot to ask of Noah, but he never complained. It didn’t stop Dan feeling bad about it, though.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

Noah’s head snaps back around to look at him. He’s confused at first, but then he understands. “Don’t be.” And when Dan clenches his eyes shut anxiously Noah pats his leg and says, “C’mere.”

Dan can’t resist the invitation to put his head in Noah’s lap. Noah’s fingers wind into his hair, stroking and gently scratching in a way that makes him feel boneless. After a while they start talking again, about everything and nothing, teasing one another and laughing. Soon Dan is waxing poetic about the ideas he’s had for season six and about the emotional beats he wants to hit for each character, or, at least, he thinks that’s what he’s doing. When he stumbles over pronouncing Jocelyn— Joshalyn is how it comes out— he realizes he might be a little more boozy than he thought.

Suddenly, he bolts up into a sitting position, stuck with inspiration. “Oh my god!”

“What?”

“We should figure out a way to get Moira back to the winery. We need to let the audience see Catherine play drunk one more time.”

“That sounds great.”

Before Noah’s even finished his sentence, Dan has his phone out and his thumbs are flying over the screen. He stops for a moment, laughs to himself, and then continues typing. This is going to be great. He’s not sure how much time passes but the next thing he knows Noah is gently tugging him to his feet. “Come on.” He kisses his temple. “Let’s get you back to your laptop.”

Dan twitches guiltily. “I’m so sorry. No, we can—”

“Absolutely not, Daniel. You need to get everything in that amazing head of yours down on the page as soon as possible. Move your ass.”

Dan continues to protest but Noah herds him toward the car, smacking his ass when he decides it isn’t moving fast enough.

**+1**

Noah straightens his shoulders and resists the urge to fiddle with his bow tie. The last time Daniel fixed it for him, back at the hotel, he’d given him a quick kiss and then narrowed his eyes at him. “If you’d stop fidgeting with it, it would be perfect.” So he twists his hands together instead and takes a couple of deep breaths while he calls up the “on” version of himself for this red carpet. They’ve spread out to do quick one-on-ones with the interested media outlets. He’d rather pair up and have Daniel to ping off for these but that’s not how it’s going to be this time around.

At least he's is only one stop ahead of him so they can exchange quick glances and smiles as they go. He likes being able to see Daniel. It relaxes him. He wishes they could walk this carpet together, holding hands and letting the world see how they feel about each other. He wants to look at him without having to be careful what shows on his face. Someday. They’ll have that someday. He understands Daniel’s reluctance to make their relationship public before the show has finished airing. And he’s a patient man. He can wait. He would wait for Daniel forever.

They catch one another’s eyes and Noah flushes a little at the knowing smile Daniel sends him. He needs to do a better job not broadcasting his thoughts with his eyes. Someone will see.

He’s at his second stop— someone from ET Canada— when he gets the first weird question.

“So, Noah,” the interviewer says, “what’s your favorite on-set snack?”

Noah blinks uncertainly and then tells truth, wondering if the question is a set up for another question. “Apples. Definitely apples.”

She smiles and nods. “A very wholesome snack.”

“Well, I’m a wholesome guy.”

They banter for a couple more minutes and then he’s directed to the next person in line. After asking him what it’s like to work with Eugene and Catherine, and after Noah gives his usual— but no less heartfelt— speech about how amazing they are, the reporter says, “Dan says the cast and crew all get along really well, that there’s not a bad apple in the bunch.”

Noah blinks at the word “apple” and grins while glancing quickly at Daniel, who appears not to be paying any attention to them at all. He looks back to the reporter. “That’s true. No bad apples.”

It’s not until the third interview that Noah is positive Daniel is messing with him and getting these reporters to help him do it. When the interviewer tells him that comparing Patrick and Sebastien is like comparing apples and oranges Noah bursts out with a long, loud laugh and then looks up ahead to Daniel, who is staring back, grinning at him. He winks at Noah and, god, Noah loves him. And he loves that Daniel has planned such an elaborate joke. It’s very difficult not to go share the happiness with a kiss right now.

The next two interviewers also have sly apple comments for him. He rubs a hand over his mouth and tries to control the size of his grin each time. When he finishes with the second one and looks around to see who’s next, Daniel is still standing with Ben Mulroney from etalk Canada and he’s waving Noah over to join them.

Daniel holds his arm out in invitation and Noah slots himself under it, wrapping his arm around his waist on instinct. “There he is.” Daniel looks down at him fondly. “The apple of my eye.” Noah barks a surprised laugh but before he can say anything Daniel continues. “My boyfriend. Having fun, sweetheart?” Then he kisses Noah, in front of god and everyone, and it’s a good thing Daniel’s holding on to him because the joy that tears through him is so explosive it could launch him into space.

When he pulls back from the kiss Daniel’s brown eyes are glowing with love and laughter and he whispers in Noah’s ear. “How do you like them apples?”


End file.
